These resources should be regarded as general advice. Please remember to check with academic regulations, department guidelines and your supervisor.
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Booth, W.C., Colomb, G. G. & Williams, J. M., University of Chicago Press, 2008
This handbook is an international classic on research writing and is suitable for students writing BA- and Master’s theses. The Craft of Research covers all aspects of writing a research paper in a clear, thorough and straightforward manner.
Especially recommended is chapter 2 on what steps to follow to find a good research question, as well as chapter 3 that explains, in detail, how to build a solid academic argument. The publisher’s website contains the full table of contents of the book.
The Good Paper – a handbook for writing papers in higher education
Rienecker, L. & Jørgensen, P. S., Samfundslitteratur, 2013
A handbook for students writing papers where they need to formulate a research question and find relevant literature on their own (BA- and Master’s theses and other research papers). The book is an adapted version of the Danish book Den Gode Opgave, aimed at international students studying in Denmark. The book contains chapters on finding a research question, locating and using sources, the structure and elements of a paper, argumentation, clear academic language, as well as the writing process. Moreover, the book provides many examples from real university papers within multiple disciplines.
The publisher’s webpage for the book contains a free downloadable set of activities (pdf), including tools to plan a work schedule for writing a paper (p. 12) and inspiration regarding the parts of your paper you can start writing on the first day (p. 4).
Scribo - a research question and literature search tool
Rienecker, L. & Bay, G., Samfundslitteratur, 2014
An interactive online tool designed to assist students with writing a research paper, focusing on the importance of the research question and the role of finding and using sources. With a dialogue of 28 questions, Scribo offers a step-by-step approach to help you process your initial ideas and work towards structuring your work. Scribo draws on models known from the textbook The Good Paper and contains examples of real papers from different disciplinary fields.
Using Scribo can be a helpful way to prepare for meetings with your supervisor and research librarians. It is especially useful in helping students begin the process of writing a BA- or Master’s thesis.
The Centre for Teaching Development and Digital Media, Arts, Aarhus University
The Study Metro is a web resource that provides information and tools for writing academic papers. It is structured in lines/themes, and especially relevant for writing papers are the sections on academic papers and writing an academic paper.
It is an English version of the Danish Studypedia and is aimed at international students studying in Denmark (originally in Arts, but students use the site across faculties and universities).
Qualitative Research Methods in Public Relations and Marketing Communications
Daymon, C. & Holloway, I., Routledge, 2010
This book is suitable for BA- and Master´s thesis writers who want to work with qualitative methods in the area of public relations and marketing communication. It contains many examples of qualitative research in this area. The book adopts a step-by-step approach to doing research using qualitative methods, and covers sampling, interviews, focus groups and observation.
The Danish Research Library Association's Forum for Library User Education, University of Southern Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University & Roskilde University
Many students are concerned about the risk of plagiarising unintentionally, and do not feel familiar with the rules governing plagiarism and academic integrity. This web tutorial can help students learn how to use sources correctly and provide sufficient documentation in written assignments.
Academic Practice: Guidelines for Staff and Students - English (2016)
Nielsen, S. & Heine, C., Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Department of Business Communication, 2012
Guidelines in avoiding plagiarism by using generally accepted norms for good academic practice. This involves the correct indication of sources when appropriate (proper citation) and the correct presentation of reference lists (proper referencing). The guidelines contain numerous examples of proper citation and referencing according to the APA referencing system.
Academic Practice: Guidelines for Staff and Students - English (2012)
Nielsen, S. & Heine, C., Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Department of Business Communication 2012
Guidelines in avoiding plagiarism by using generally accepted norms for good academic practice. This involves the correct indication of sources when appropriate (proper citation) and the correct presentation of reference lists (proper referencing). The guidelines contain numerous examples of proper citation and referencing according to the Harvard referencing system.